Sales round-up: Cineflix takes ‘Ordinary Woman’ down under; More4 acquires Drive’s ‘Lost Worlds’

Cineflix Rights has struck deals at MIPTV to take Russian drama An Ordinary Woman to SBS Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand.

The 9 x 60-minute series tells the story of 39-year-old Marina – a seemingly ordinary woman and florist who owns a brothel business as a side gig. Marina’s balance between her day-to-day and darker activities become blurred when one employee is murdered by a client.

An Ordinary Woman is the first Russian drama to be shortlisted for the prestigious Séries Mania festival.  Its star, Anna Mikhalkova, won the coveted best actress award, for a performance which judges called a “sensitive and nuanced performance of a strong woman who constantly has to repress her most private feelings to survive in a corrupted society.”

The deals were closed by Chris Bluett, VP, sales, Asia Pacific and Benelux, at Cineflix Rights.

Julien Leroux, SVP, global scripted co-productions, Cineflix Media said: “An Ordinary Woman combines an exceptional, award-winning cast of characters with a taut, multi-layered plot which is perfect for binge-viewing or linear transmission. We’re delighted to be partnering with SBS Australia and TVNZ to bring this unique series to their audiences and look forward to announcing further sales following MIPTV.”

Bridget Ryan, acquisitions manager, scripted at SBS added: “SBS continues to deliver the best dramas from around the world to Australian audiences with the enthralling new series An Ordinary Woman. With a captivating central performance from Anna Mikhalkova, we’re delighted that An Ordinary Woman is the first Russian drama series to be acquired for SBS On Demand”.

More4 acquires Drive’s Lost Worlds: Deeper into the Black Sea

The UK’s Channel 4-owned channel More4 has acquired Drive’s maritime doc Lost Worlds: Deeper into the Black Sea.

The 2 x 60-minute series captures the maritime discovery of an ancient ‘shipwreck graveyard’, including the wreck of 2,400-year-old Greek ship thought to be the oldest intact shipwreck ever found.

Lost Worlds was shot in 4K over three years by BAFTA-winning documentary filmmakers David Belton and Andy Byatt (The Blue Planet) from Black Sea Films.

Discovery Channel has picked up the series in the US, which will be versioned into a 2-hour special to premiere on Science Channel. As has global factual SVOD CuriosityStream.

Ben Barrett, Drive co-MD, said: “This is an extraordinary series that follows a passionate team and charts some of the most incredible deep-sea discoveries in history. Viewers around the world will get to experience some truly unique shipwrecks in these films, and we’re delighted that More4 has picked up the series.” 

Globalive Media’s Beyond Innovation to land on inflight carriers

Globalive Media’s half-hour factual science and tech series Beyond Innovation has secured early second-run sales with inflight content providers Global Eagle Entertainment and Inflight Dublin.

Facilitated by UK distributor A Tall Order, these deals will put episodes of Beyond Innovation into the programming line-ups of a range of airlines in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Beyond Innovation is co-hosted by journalist Michael Bancroft and venture capitalist Anthony Lacavera. With 26 half-hour episodes, it uncovers the world’s new and emerging technologies changing the way we live and do business.

The show’s debut season features such notable guests as David Hanson, the former Walt Disney imagineer and pioneering roboticist behind “Sophia” and some of the most realistic humanoid robots on the market.

“We’re energised by this early momentum for Beyond Innovation, which certainly appeals to the discerning tastes of business travelers among others,” said Bancroft, who also created and executive produces the series.

“People are inherently fascinated by the technologies and scientific advancements touching their lives and we’re happy to give them a true insider’s look in an engaging format.”